Boston’s Best Brewery Tours

It’s difficult to frown during a brewery tour. Following a guide on the ins and outs of brewmastery can brighten even the darkest days of a self-respecting beer fan, and Boston has a number of options available for those curious parties interested in exploring the industry. Granted, it may not be the first thing that comes to mind as an afternoon outing, but Boston breweries do indeed offer tours, so here are five of the best options in the area.

Boston Brew Tours is one of the most popular brewery tours around the Boston area and specializes in taking its guests and customers on tours to all of the major Bostonian breweries. This tour ventures out from the Samuel Adams brewery in Jamaica Plain to the Meadhall in Cambridge, making Boston Brew Tours a great option for those seeking to hit up as wide a variety of breweries as possible, rather than focusing upon one in-depth tour of a specific brew-house. As such, this is a great choice for the beginner or uninitiated to explore the behind-the-scenes world of breweries.

Samuel Adams Brewery offers its own brand of specialized brewery tours for those who want to get to the bottom, so to speak, of the Sam Adams brewing business. As one of the defining beers of the New England area, Sam Adams has earned and achieved a nearly bulletproof reputation amongst most average beer drinkers out there, with this tour serving as a Holy Grail for fans seeking not only to discover some behind-the-scenes secrets, but to be able to drink a fresh pint or two, AND go home with a free glass? It’s a win-win situation.

The Harpoon Brewery has earned a rock-solid reputation amongst many Bostonian beer drinkers as one of the best places to hit for a great brewery tour. Samuel Adams may enjoy a larger profile amongst the masses, but Harpoon Brewery appeals also to the more adventurous beer drinkers whose palates lean more towards the darker, deeper tasting shades of beer. Friendly, accommodating customer service and a bar area with fresh pretzels and cheese makes Harpoon Brewery a fine destination for beer fans of all shapes and sizes.

Night Shift Brewing is a righteous little local brewery located right near Boston in the town of Everett, a place that presents a nice, off-the-beaten-path approach to brewery tours. The out-of-the-way location makes Night Shift Brewing a curious place for a dual date spot, yet mutual beer fanatics will surely be drawn to this spot, despite its brewery-masquerading-as-a-warehouse sort of vibe. Once inside, however, unique homemade beer flavors meld perfectly with the rustic decor and enthusiastic staff, making Night Shift Brewing worth the trip.

Wachusett Brewing Co. is another New England brewhouse staple, the home of such seasonal bar favorites as Wachusett Blueberry and Wachusett Imperial Pumpkin Ale, which make their way within pubs across the greater New England area from Boston straight on through Cape Cod. Wachusett Brewing Co. offers full tours of its brewery on Saturday afternoons, lasting 45 minutes in total, and offering two small samples per visitor. It also offers shorter tours to patrons Wednesday through Friday, simply a must for fanatical followers of the Wachusett Brewing way.

George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.